Overview

In the 1930s, the city of Nashville saw its need for a closer airport than the one that was then handling flights for the city. Sky Harbor was simply too far away for passengers looking to fly into Nashville, which is what prompted the construction of the Nashville International Airport. However, at the time it was not referred to as the Nashville International Airport. In fact, the airport did not receive this name until 1988. In 1935, Nashville Mayor Hillary Howse was asked to select the location of the airport that was to be built in Nashville. She chose a plot of land that consisted of four farms and 340 acres on which to place the airport the world currently knows as the Nashville International Airport.

History of Nashville Airport

Berry Field was the name of the airport when it opened in 1937. That first year, the airport saw approximately 189,000 passengers come through the doors leaving and/or arriving in Nashville. Today, the airport services more than 9.2 million passengers on an annual basis. At the time, only American Airlines and Eastern Airlines had flights at the Nashville International Airport. The airport’s land space was increased during World War II to encompass nearly 1,500 acres. It also became a base for flights for the United States Air Force. In 1960, the Nashville International Airport was expanded to add an additional 145,000 square feet of space because the first jet service was scheduled to begin the following year. It was in 1961 that the Nashville International Airport serviced just over a half million passengers departing and arriving into the city of Nashville.

In 1986, American Airlines made a move to make the Nashville International Airport its major hub because of the number of flights into and out of the city. At the time, American Airlines has flights to both London and Toronto out of Nashville. American called Nashville its hub city until 1995.

Southwest Airlines now uses nearly 47 percent of the Nashville Airport and considers it a major focus city. Currently, the Nashville International Airport has four runways. The longest is 11,030 feet long, which makes it the only runway at the airport capable of handling all of the aircraft that flies into and out of this airport.

Parking

Passengers departing from the Nashville International Airport need to know where to park their cars while they are out of town. This airport has six different parking options for all passengers with their own private vehicle. Short-term parking is available near the terminal. Long-term parking is also available within walking distance of the airport terminal. Economy parking is available for those who need it, but it is not within walking distance of the airport. There is a shuttle that departs this parking area every 10 minutes to take passengers to and from the airport and their vehicles. Overflow parking is available when travel is at a peak. Valet parking is available outside of the terminal, and a frequent parking area for frequent flyers is available near the terminal. It’s a five-minute walk for passengers from the frequent parking area to their airline desk.

Terminal Information

There is only one terminal in the Nashville International Airport. This is the Robert C.H. Mathews Jr. Terminal. The concourses are located on the third level. The second level of the terminal is for the baggage claim areas and the ground level is for ground transportation purposes. There are four separate concourses in the one terminal at the Nashville International Airport. Concourses A, B, C, and D cater to all of the different airlines that depart and arrive at the Nashville International Airport.

Airlines Serving Nashville Airport

Being a major entryway into the capital city of Tennessee, Nashville International Airport receives service from major North American airlines. Being one of the largest cities in the Southeast region, Nashville is a focus city for Southwest Airlines. This huge low-cost American carrier dominates the schedule in Nashville International Airport. Southwest Airlines links Tennessee’s capital with major destinations in several regions of the United States. Austin, Houston, New Orleans, and San Antonio are large southern cities that are accessible via Southwest Airlines. Baltimore, Newark, New York, and Philadelphia are the major East Coast cities that can be reached via America’s biggest low cost airline.

Midwestern cities such as Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and Kansas City are directly connected to Nashville International Airport thanks to Southwest Airlines. Operating non-stop flights to Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa, this busy low-cost carrier takes passengers to the most visited regions in Florida. Southwest Airlines also dominates the service between Nashville and the West Coast. Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, and San Diego are major cities that are accessible via non-stop flights operated by Southwest Airlines. The largest low cost airline in the United States uses the gates in Concourse C at Nashville International Airport.

American Airlines and American Eagle offer non stop flights between Nashville International Airport and some of the busiest airports in the country. Both of these airlines are affiliated with the parent company AMR Corporation, which has headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. American Airlines takes passengers to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. American Eagle is in charge of direct flights to the main airports in Chicago, Miami, New York City, and Washington District of Columbia. Both of these AMR airline companies use the gates in Concourse C in Nashville’s main airport.

Delta Air Lines links Nashville International Airport with the company’s major domestic hubs. Delta operates non-stop trips to the main airports in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis, and New York City. Additionally, Delta can also be used to fly from Tennessee’s capital city to Tennessee’s largest city of Memphis. With Salt Lake City on the Delta schedule, this airline is one of the few companies to offer direct trips to the West Coast. The Gates in Concourse B are used by Delta Air Lines.

Other major domestic airlines serving Nashville International Airport include Frontier Airlines, US Airways, and United Airlines. The Canadian companies Air Canada and Sunwing Airlines are the only international carriers that operate in Nashville.